Rechercher

05/10/2015

Jerry Lee was born in Ferriday, Louisiana, on September 29, 1935 and must be counted one of the great originals of rock'n'roll amongst Chuck Berry and Bill Haley. Coming to the fore in 1957 with Sun Records of Memphis, Tennessee, he was not lost in the famous "Sun Sound" that had by then already spawned Elvis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. Rather, he added his own uniquely attacking style of vocalizing and piano playing, and made the sound even better. The Lewis style is one of the most immediately identifiable in rock-and-roll.

As a showman, too, The Killer, was an original. He broke pianos, set fire on many of them, threw chairs, swore at the band and the audience, but his arrogance was compensated by his supreme talent. He has also recorded with soul, rock, C&W and New Orleans jazz backings, and, nowadays, remained in command at the aged of 80!

Richard PARKIN (under his first real surname) was born in Liverpool, Merseyside, on July 7, 1940. Despite predictions that he would suffer most from the break-up of THE BEATLES in 1970, Ringo renamed himself STARKEY from his stepfather's surname (to become STARR a few years later) and had successfully developed his cheerful, popular persona acquired in the group's seven years of stardom. Sentimental Journey, and Beaucoup Of Blues in 1970 were pleasant collections of childhood favo(u)rites and country standards respectively. Next, Ringo established himself as a major singles artist with a series of his own songs, including "It Don't Come Easy" (June, 1971 - his declaration of independence from the Beatle image). Ringo has been appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) since 1965.

Chuck Berry's signifiance lies partly in his own stylistic innovations and the vivid articulation of a spirit of rock'n'roll rebellion in his lyrics. And, partly, it lies in the fact that his career uniquely encapsulates the links between the rock'n'rollers of the Fifties and the bands of the Seventies, between blues and pop, between black and white musical cultures. His origins are, in many ways, representative of the black artists primarily responsible for hammering out the musical identity of rock. Born Charles Edward Berry in St Louis, Missouri, on October 18, 1931, he began singing in a church choir at the age of six. He learned the rudiments of guitar while still at high school, and made his debut performance at the school glee club review, playing the Chicago blues standard, "Confessin' The Blues" - which, he has recalled, was avidly welcomed for what was seen at the time as an almost risqué earthiness. Chuck Berry wrote lotsa rock'n'roll songs such as "Sweet Little Sixteen" issued on Chess 1683 dating back to January, 1958 later to become a "famous" song but it is another history...

14/09/2015

In 1949 a jump tune called "Rock The Joint" was recorded by two Philadelphia based R & B combos. It was originally recorded by Jimmy Preston & The Prestonians on Philly's own GOTHAM label No G-188-A, and then covered by Chris Powell & The Five Blue Flames for COLUMBIA ("Magic Notes", U.S.A.!) 30175. These recordings were undoubtedbly heard by a fledgling country artist also based in the Philadelphia area named Bill Haley (William John Clifton). Soon enough Haley combined the White C & W sound with the Black R&B feel and the result was something new, different, and certainly exciting : Bill Haley And The Saddlemen. Here is the history of those two R&B combos who started the revolution.

Jimmy Preston & His Prestonians :

Jimmy Preston was born in rural Pennsylvania in August of 1919.In 1949 alto sax man and vocalist Jimmy Preston and his Prestonians had regional hits in the northeast with "Rock The Joint" and others on the GOTHAM label... The band had built a reputation for hard driving sax led jump tunes, and blues ballads which made them a dance club favorite in the Philadelphia area in the late Forties."Do The Bump" etc. Jimmy Preston starts out the year of 1950 with a new lineup of his small combo. The group features Benny Golson (who would in later years become a modern jazz star) on tenor sax, Billy Gaines on piano (replacing Ken King), and Skeets March (replacing Eddie Winters) on drums. In September, Preston moves to the Derby record label based in New York. The next month the band's first release for Derby is out. It features vocals by Preston and Burnetta Evans on the tunes "Oh Babe" (a cover of the pop hit for Louis Prima and Keely Smith on Robin Hood 101, November 8,1950).

Chris Powell & The Five Blue Flames :

During the late nineteen Forties (10/1949), Chris Powell & The Five Blue Flames were a well known jump blues band in the Philadelphia area. They were fortunate enough to be signed to a recording contract with one of the major record labels of the time COLUMBIA. The lineup of the band was Powell-leader and drums; Duke Wells on piano; Eddie Lambert on guitar; Danny Turner and Red Spencer on saxes; and James Johnson on bass. Powell and his band do an extended tour of the Midwest and Pennsylvania and do a two week engagement at Philadelphia's Showboat Lounge. A trumpet player joins the Blue Flames. His name is Clifford Brown and he remains with the combo for a little over a year. Powell and his combo spend the summer on the bandstand at Wildwood-by-the-Sea at Hofbrau Hotel on the South New Jersey shore. In March of 1953, Powell and his band do another two weeks at The Showboat, to be followed by an extended stay at Bill & Lou. In May, the combo does a week at New York's Café Society which is followed by a long engagement at Moore's Inlet Café in Wildwood-by-the-Sea, along with the Three Peppers.In March of 1956 Powell and his combo record "The Poor People Of Paris" (a French song of origin by Edith Piaf as "La Goualante (popular lament) Du Pauvre Jean" on French Columbia Magic Notes HF 599 in February 1954).

By this time it was apparent that the Blue Flames time as a top musical attraction was about over. They had been part of the Philadelphia musical scene for close to a decade, and although they never had a solid hit record, they were a vital part of the ever changing music scene in America. They certainly had an effect on a struggling country artist named Bill Haley (and The Saddlemen) who covered "Rock The Joint" (on ESSEX RECORDS 303-B, circa July of 1952 [rec. in April of 1952] plus Essex RECORDS 399 for a reissue out in November of 1954 and also reissued on 1955/07/9) which sent him on his way to spread the news of the arrival of rock'n'roll as the sound of the times. There is an available US CD that chronicles a great part of Powell and his music. It is on Classics, a French label. Chris Powell & The Five Blue Flames were part of the great fabric of the musical history of America.

Joe Turner, born in Kansas City on May 18, 1911, proved the most experienced of all the singers on the R&B charts in the early Fifties. He was also a prominent part of the Kansas City jazz scene of the Thirties, often teaming up with boogie pianist Pete Johnson. Coming to New York in 1938, he made his first record, the very popular "Roll 'Em Pete"/originally "It's All Right, Baby" (with Pete Johnson on piano) for Vocalion (4607, vocal by Joe Turner [recorded Dec. 30, 1938, rel. Feb., 1939] and became a major figure in the boogie-woogie revival of 1938-1941 (sparkled off his appearance on John Hammond's legendary Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall, one of the first instances of authentic black blues and jazz musicians winning a large white audience). By 1951, Atlantic records had signed him to a recording contract and released "Chains Of Love", the first of a string of Joe Turner and his Blues Kings hits that lasted well into the rock'n'roll era. Of these, probably his most influential was the 1954 recording of "Shake, Rattle And Roll", a Jesse Stone composition - written under the pseudonym of Charles Calhoun - that was to form the basis of Bill Haley's bowdlerized version. Whether Turner "The Boss of The Blues"s strictly a rock'n'roll singer is debatable; he never changed his style from the way it was in 1938. But then, he didn't have to. He even sounded great singing "Teenage Letter" at the age of 46. No other artist from the Swing era became anywhere near as vital a force in the R&B music of the Fifties as Joe Turner. Also know as "Big" Joe Turner". John Vernon Turner was born on May 18, 1911 and passed away on November 24, 1985.

Bill Haley's RATC follow-up, "Shake, Rattle And Roll" (a dilution of Turner's original) reached the TOP TEN in both America and Britain and eventually sold a million. Bill felt at the relative failure of his first DECCA single. Myers came up with a nonenty of a song entitled ABC Boogie but at least Gabler picked a hot number for the top side in Joe Turner. He sent sent the lyrics to Haley with instructions to change some of the overtly sexual lines, which Bill did albeit he missed some of the more obscure ones like "I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store. Panama Francis played drums on the session and the result was that Skake, Rattle And Roll had all the makings of a hit. It lived up to expectations reaching #7 in August 1954. Whislt Turner may have been a better vocalist than Haley, Milt Gabler succeeded in making a better record with SRAR than the original. (R'N'B #1 and POP #22 in April 1954). Tidbit/titbit time : The Springfield Indians, a professional ice hockey team adopted the song and played it every time they scored a goal! Shortly after the session Danny Cedrone died following a fall at home, without ever knowing the success. Bill was distraught at the loss of his friend.

13/11/2013

Bill Haley is the man in the blue jacket. At his right, his friend of all time, Mr. Rudy Pompilli (real house hold name : Pompillii.)

Pictures : CC-BY - 2.0 Belgium

The song Rock Around The Clock was written and composed in November 1952 by Jimmy De Knight (aka James E. Myers) in collaboration with composer "freelance" , Max C. Freedman . It is likely , as was common at the time a publisher has offered Rock Around The Clock Dave Miller , owner of Essex Records in Chester ( Pennsylvania ) or someone around him but nobody ever wanted . It is finally Sonny Dae (aka Paschal Vennitti ) and His Knights in Chester which record the song in October 1953. Rock Around The Clock comes out ARCADE (45- AR- 123), a small label owned by Jack Howard in March 1954. (*) RATC sells for at least a thousand copies in the Delaware Valley , but it is not distributed nationally ( coast to coast ) lack of interest in a Major. Despite his insistence , "on" denied him the right to record (not even in the demo ) . Finally released from his contract with Essex Records, "Bill Haley and His Comets" will save RATC April 12, 1954 at the Pythian Temple in New York City. Bill Haley was so late ( arriving from the neighboring state , New Jersey ) for the record that he had to be back there twice which cost three hours of studio ( thin! Price to cost one hour. ..) . The disc is distributed by Decca ( ​​the 78s 29124 ) and Decca ( ​​the single 9-29124 ) " coast to coast " simultaneously with another country located in Western Europe : Belgium ! DECCA Label 9.60.961 B side of Pinball Boogie Red Foley ( 10 May 1954 ) . But back about seven months ago : Bill Haley , great musician and multi-instrumentalist ( guitar , slap bass ) has a flair like no other and he believes in this song . At the end of September 53 , he added to his repertoire and playing for the first time in public in the name of the time "Bill Haley With Haley's Comets" in the resort of Wildwood -by-the -Sea Hotel Hofbrau in southern New Jersey ( **) . A few months later , Rock Around The Clock does not take long to rank No. 23 in the Billboard Pop chart of May 29, 1954 (***) ... The following is part of the history of the "Popular Music" . .. Sources: (*) Billboard magazine , March 20, 1954 (**) Jersey City : Da Capo Press, 1987 ( ***) The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits . New York: Billboard Publications , 1984. To enhance this topic , I added two pictures that I took at the Conservatoire de Liège 05/14/74 . First photo : From left to right: Ray Cawley , bass and vocals - Rudy Pompilli , tenor sax - Freddy Moore , drums - Bill Haley, rhythm guitar and vocals - Nick Masters ( Nastos ) , solo guitar, Spanish guitar and vocals and behind back but invisible : Ray Parsons , steel and lead guitar , vocals . Wilwood-by-the-Sea : here's the source : http://www.visitnj.org/trip-idea/birthplace-rock-n-roll

01/06/2013

I should have mentioned perfect hygiene at the abbatoir – they have to have far higher standards than Britain if they are to export to us.

Slavery. August’s tribe in the East would have been threatened by slavers over a thousand years. The last raid was Arab/Portuguese slavers in 1905. I do not know what part his tribe played in this.

The Matabele, based in Bulawayo, were a Zulu offshoot who arrived in 1836. They were one of Chaka’simpi who did not dare return to Zululand after an unsuccessful raid. They used the Zulu system of capturing tribes, enslaving or killing the men, enslaving and marrying the women. Much nastier than commercial slavery. When they settled in Southern Rhodesia they continued this system. There were annual raids on surrounding tribes for grain, cattle and women. This was the nominal excuse for the 1893 Matebele war and the occupation of Matabeleland. It is normally expected that it takes at least one generation to get rid of slavery, after its legal abolition. I do not know how they did it in Rhodesia. There were slave tribes and slave owning tribes. There were slave soldiers in the impi. The children were fathered by slave owners and slave mothers. It was not just a matter of sending people home and returning their property. So there were ex-slaves and slave owners around at the time of Skokiaan. People August’s age would have been born in the residual slavery. And the Matabele war was only 60 years before Skokiaan, closer than we are to the recording of Skokiaan. (by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1959 : http://youtu.be/2z1br3piNmM) [*]

This is still of fundamental importance in Zimbabwe politics, the Matabele/Shona divide.

First recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets on the DECCA DL-8964 LP/album Strictly Instrumental released in December 1959. ***He was accompanied i.a. by Johnny Grande on piano and Ralph Jones on drums and different with the one recorded for the Mex Orfeón/Dimsa LP/album DML 8381 Bill Haley A Go-Go in 1966 as by Bill Haley and The Comets (aka y Sus Cometas) were we found i.a. Julian Bert on piano; John "Bam Bam" Lane on drums; mariachis Diego Romero & Luis Sanchez playing trumpets.***Also known as "Skokiaan A Go-Go" for the latters.***Skokiaan (Tsaba Tsaba Dance) had been composed in Southern Rhodesia (now, Zimbabwe) by August Macon Msarurgwa (in fact, Musarurwa of the village of the same name in Zwimba Reserve) in the late 1949.***The original version has been released in early 1950 (b/w Karekwangu) and interpreted by the African Dance Band of The Cold Storage Commission of Southern Rhodesia fronted by leader August Macon Msarurgwa.***Reference: Gallotone Jive GB. 1152., 1950***My special thanks go to Mr. Peter Bowbrick from Great Britain who has provided me with bright help seeing he had known the composer and his sister in his early teens.***This instrumental has been also recorded and released later in 1954 by The Bulawayo Sweet Rhythm Band (in Bulawayo) also fronted by Msarurgwa.***Both cover versions/songs were available on CD's i.a. The Magic Collection (a division of Telesonic Holland), ARC records MEC 949078 in 1983 and also on M next CDES 61 released in France in 2002 under license to San Juan, 2001.***Here 's another history from Goldworthy and Disa: A.M. could only have joined the AFDB of TCSC of SR in 1950 saying that Hugh Tracey also put the tune on tape on 8 June 1951.***This version has been issued (SWP032/HT21) on June 8, 2006 by Sharp Wood. http://www.disa.ukzn.ac.za/samap/content/skokiaan***A sung version also exists in Shona Zezuru. Skokiaan was also published on DECCA (red label FM 6142) b/w In The Mood later on.

30/05/2013

CD cover: left to right: Franny Beecher, Dick Richards and Max daffner (drums), Joey D'Ambrosio (tenor sax) and Marshall Lytle (bass). The story began a long time ago (Philadelphia, Pensylvania, 1953) when for the 1st time Bill Haley recorded 2 songs [under the name "Bill Haley And Haley's Comets", ESSEX E-348, March 1954]: Chattaanooga Choo Choo [from Glenn Miller and his orchestra, feat. Tex Beneke on lead vocal, 1940] and Straight Jacket, accompanied by Art Ryerson, Billy Williamson, Johnny Grande, Billy Gussak and, Joey D'Ambrosia, Dick Richards and Marshall Lytle to become the Jodimars at summer 1955 due to internal conflictflicts about their salaries.The latters were of the Decca Sessions, at Pythian Temple, New York City, April 12, 1954 [(We're Gonna) RATC from "Rock Around The Clock", Sonny Dae (a.k.a. Paschal Vennetti) and His Knights, Arcade, Philadelphia, 11/952) and Thirteen Women (And Only One Man In Town) from "Thirteen Women And One Man" by Dickie Thompson and His Orchestra, Herald 424, 1953.*****"Shake, Rattle And Roll" [...Let me tell you something else : I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a sea food store. I like to look at you, dear till ain't no shine no more. All you want to do is shake, rattle and roll, all night long. Shake, rattle and roll in the morning...] from (Big) Joe Turner acc. by Pluma Davis Orchestra including Mickey Baker, Lloyd Troutman, Jesse Stone [himself!] (a.k.a. Charles E. Calhoun), Frank "Heywood" Henry, Wilber DeParis, Connie Kay, Ahmet "Nugetre" Ertegun (Atlantic boss with Herb Abramson) and Jerry Wexler (Atlantic 1026, 1954)***Traduction en français (from the message up above): "Je suis comme un chat borgne jetant un coup d'oeil dans un magasin de fruits de mer" (autrement dit c'est un cunnilingus!)]; in the same way there was a Platters' single called "Bark, Battle and Ball" released May 6, 1955 / B-side of "Only You (And You Alone) [2nd version]", Mercury 70633 and "A.B.C. Boogie" (June 7, 1954).*****"Happy Baby" and "Dim Dim The Lights (I Want Some Atmosphere) [Sep. 21, 1954] from Julius Dixon.*****"Birth Of The Boogie" and "Mambo Rock" (January 5, 1955) and this last session for the recordings of "Two Hound Dogs" and "Razzle-Dazzle" (May 10, 1955).A new story was about to begin...until the split in 1958.***Label shots: Capitol F - 3285, Pathé - Marconi, France, Nov.1955. (Bill Haley "Shake rattle and Roll.)

Marshall Lytle, Bill Haley and His Comets double bass on (We're gonna) Rock around the clock, Thirteen women, Shake, rattle and roll, A.B.C. boogie, Happy baby, Dim, dim the lights (I want some atmosphere), Birth of the boogie, Mambo rock, Two hound dogs and the last Razzle dazzle. Mr. Lytle will be replaced by Al Rex on bass and db at the September 22, 1955 session (R-o-c-k, Rock-a-beatin' boogie, Burn that candle etc.) until June 18, 1958 at the Pythian Temple in New York City to record i.a. Joey's song, Chiquita Linda/(Un poquito de tu amor), Dinah, Corrine, Corrina, B.B. Betty.

14/03/2012

GOTHAM G-188-A, Philadelphia, Pa. : jump blues by Jimmy Preston [James Preston, 1913/08/18, Chester, Pa. - 1984/12/??, Philadelphia] and His Prestonians recorded in Philadelphia on 1949/05/27 and released on 1949/09/14. Flipside : Drinking Woman. GOTHAM Records Inc. was formed by Sam Goode and Irvin Ballen in New York City in 1946 then bought out by Ballen who moved the label to Philadelphia in early 1948.

When Preston and his band got the song into a studio, they turned it into a raucous, hand-clappin', sax-screamin', rockin' piece of excitement that sounded like nothing they, nor anyone else, had recorded before.

Why was it important ? : it was an early all-out R 'n' B rocker, and it led ultimately to Bill Haley's changeover from country music to proto-rockabilly. Remake by Bill Haley With The Saddlemen as the B-side of Icy Heart issued by Essex (303) in April 1952. Essex 399 is a reissue dating back to July 1955. Essex/ESSEX singles : http://www.d4haley.com

13/01/2012

The German bandleader had a US #1 hit with "Wonderland By Night" in 1961 (released by DECCA 9-31141 on 1960/08/28) a.k.a. in Western Europe as "Wunderland bei Nacht" [Blues aus dem gleichnamigen Arca-NF-Film] 'round five years earlier (before "Spanish Eyes") as Bert Kämpfert und sein Orchester, Solotrompette : Charly Tabor, Polydor NH 24 086, 1959 [Germany, DNC]. Later he also had a hit with the rendition of "Moon Over Naples" by Al Martino [b. Alfred Cini, 1927/10/07-2009/10/13] aka "Spanish Eyes" B-side as of the 1954 Ink Spots' "Melody Of Love", issued in August 1965 (US #8, UK #15). Kaempfert worked with The Beatles and Tony Sheridan when they were under contract to Deutsche Grammophon/Polydor.

***(5) I dreamed of an old love affair: from Jimmie Davis, Decca 6070, 1942.

***(6) I love you so much it hurts: from Floyd Tillman, RCA Victor 20-7157, 1948.

***(7) I already talked about I didn't hear anybody pray aka The wreck on the highway from The Dixon Brothers, RCA Victor/Bluebird 7440, 1938.

***These songs were available in the 90's on Hydra Records and Bear Family Records both based in Germany.***The Rovin' Eyes: from Dr. Louis Menaker, late 40's (CD Xtra, Delta Music PLC, Germany, 20/06/2005.)

28/03/2009

...discovered these incredible songs from?***08-12-2007 années 50***(We're gonna) Rock Around The Clock : from (We're gonna) Rock Around The Clock by Sonny Dae and His Knights, Arcade 45-AR-123, 03/1954 [written in Philadelphia, Pa. in 11/1952].***Sonny Dae sold thousand of records in the Delaware Valley [B-side: Moving Guitar, instrumental)].***Thirteen Women [(And Only One Man In Town)] : from Thirteen Women And One Man by Dickie Thompson And his Orchestra, Herald 424, 01/1954 [B-side I'm Innocent].***Shake, Rattle And Roll : from (Big) Joe Turner acc. by Pluma Davis Orchestra, Atlantic 1026, April 1954.***A.B.C. Boogie : from Mary Del backed with the Do-Re-Me Trio, Drexel (later DR Records), West Chester/Drexel Hill (nearby Philadelphia), 1949.***Dim, Dim The Lights (I Want Some Atmosphere) : from Beverly Ross and Julius Dixon, US #33 at Spring 1954 [Dim Dim The Lights, recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets did reach the Top Ten on The Variety Charts in 1955. The Variety Charts were more prestigeous than BillBoard or Cash Box back in those days. However, Dim Dim The Lights did make it to the R & B Charts, Top Ten at that time, becoming not only Bill Haley's first R & B hit but the first hit on the R & B charts by a white artist period. In fact Alan Freed called Dim Dim The Lights the grand daddy song of Rock 'n' Roll. It opened the door for Rock Around The Clock to get another shot at the charts. The song was first released in the Spring of 54' only staying one week on the charts at Number 33 or thereabouts. This time Rock Around The Clock went all the way to number one in July of 1955].***Rock-A-Beatin' boogie : from (Danny Cedrone and) Esquire Boys, Guyden Records 705-A, April 1954 [originally by The Treniers, COLUMBIA-CBS/Okeh 7023, March 1954; EP EPIC EG 7103, 1955].***The Saints Rock 'N' Roll : from The Saints Are Marching In by The Paramount Jubilee Singers, 1923 [originally a very old Cincinatti negro spiritual dating back to 1896]; Bo Weevil Jackson, 1926.***Burn That Candle : from The Cues feat. Jimmy Breedlove aka Robbie Kirk, Capitol Records F3245, 09/1955.***See You Later, Alligator from : Bobby Charles' Later alligator (alias Robert Guidry), Chess 1609, 09/1955. [B-side On Bended Knee]***Hide And Seek : from Big Joe Turner, Atlantic 1069, 1955***Choo Choo Ch' Boogie : from Louis Jordan And His Tympany Five, Decca 23610, Feb. 1946.***Rockin' Through The Rye : from Comin' Thru The Rye, a Scottish folk traditional dating back to 1796.***Rip It Up : from Little Richard, Specialty, 1956.***Forty Cups Of Coffee : from 40 Cups Of Coffee by Danny Overbea with King Kolax And His Orchestra, Chess/Checker 774, June 1953.***Miss You : from Rudy Vallée And His Connecticut Yankees, Victor, 1929.***Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone : from Gene Austin, 1930, US #3, 1931.***You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming : from Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra featuring Billie Holiday on vocal, 1937.***I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter : from (Thomas) Fats Waller and his Rhythm, HMV B.D. 5031, New York City, rec. May 1935, US #3 via The Ink Spots (Decca), US #3 in 1935 as well as The Boswell Sisters with The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, US #6, 1936 via Connee Boswell, US #29, Decca, 1953 via Billy Williams, Coral 9-57184, US #3 & Canada #17 on 24th June 1957.***

...discovered these incredible songs from ?***.***Is It True What They Say About Dixie? : from Jimmy Dorsey And His Orchestra feat. Bob Eberly on vocal, 1936.***Carolina In The Morning : from Broadway musical "The Passing Show of 1922" via Al Jolson, Decca 24109, 1947. [originally by Willie & Eugene Howard, 09/1922.***The Dipsy Doodle : from Tommy Dorsey And His Orchestra featuring Edythe Wright on vocal, 1937 via Larry Clinton And His Orchestra feat. Bea Wain on vocal, Associated Transcriptions, December 1937.***Ain't Misbehavin' (I'm Savin' My Love For You) : from musical "Hot Chocolates", first performed at Connie's Inn in Harlem in May 1929 by Margaret Simms & Paul Bass via Fats Waller and his Rhythm, Associated Transcriptions, Jan. 1938; Victor, 08/1939; Jazz Selection, 01/1943.***Moon Over Miami : from the Dorsey Bothers Orchestra featuring Connee/Connie Boswell on vocal, Decca/Brunswick, US # 19, 1935.***One Sweet Letter From You : from Ted Lewis And His Band, July 1927***(I'll be with you in) Apple blossom time from : Artie Shaw and his orchestra, 1937 via Glenn Miller.***Somebody Else Is Taking My Place, (C) 1937: from Russ Morgan And His Orchestra [Decca 25398], "Strictly In The Groove" OST, Decca, US #5, 1942.***How Many?: from Jim Reeves, RCA Victor, 1957 (also recorded by Eddy Arnold on the same label)***Move It On Over : from Hank Williams (Sr.) And His Drifting Cowboys, MGM 10033-A, 1947.***(New) Rock The Joint : from Rock The Joint by Jimmy Preston And His Prestonians, Gotham [owned by Sam "Goody" Goode and Ivin Ballen] JP-12, Philadelphia, Sep. 24, 1949.***Pretty Alouette (Be My Only One) : from a Canadian-French folklore, Montréal, 1946.***Rockin' Rollin' Schnitzlebank from : (Ei du schöne,) Schnitzelbank, 1890 (C) 1890 by Johannes Brahms [humorous drinking song of Austro-Hungarian origin.*** Rockin' Matilda : from Waltzing Matilda [which means "Auf der Walz" (is a German expression that means traveling on the job) and "bed-roll" or slang "swag"], originally based on a traditional entitled "Thou Bonny Wood Of Craigie Lee", Australia, a poem written in January 1895 by Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson [Oh! There once was a swagman camped in the Billabong, under the shade of a Coolabah tree; and he sang as he looked at his old billy boiling, “Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me...].*** He heard a tune played by Miss Christina MacPherson of Dagworth Station. He added the words of Waltzing Matilda to the music.***Eventually published as a song in 1903 then copyrighted as a song in Scotland in 1936***"Vive la rock and roll": from on a French novelty tune (1811) and the French lullaby "Frère Jacques", 1869 ("Bruder Jakob"; "Brother Jake").***It's A Sin : from Eddy Arnold (15/05/1918-8/05/2008), RCA Victor, US C/W #1, 1947.***Mary, Mary Lou: from The Sparks' Merry, Merry Lou, DECCA 9-30378, July 1957.***Come Rock With Me : from O Sole Mio [(C) 1898 by Eduardo di Capua, Alfredo Mazzuchi, Giovanni Capurro] by tenor man Enrico Caruso, Naples, Italy, 1903.***Wooden Shoe Rock: from "LA CENERENTOLA" 's [Cinderella's/French fairy tale "Cendrillon"] Gretchen And The Wooden Shoe, music composed by Gioacchino Rossini and libretto written by Jacopo Ferretti, 1817.***Joey's Song : from Joe Reisman And His Orchestra, DECCA, 1957.***Chiquita Linda: from Un Poquito De Tu Amor by Julio Guttiérez y su Orquesta, Cuba, 1948.***

...discoverd these incredible songs from ?***The DECCA Sessions moved from 8th Aug. 2006.***.***Dinah : originally recorded by Al Handler and his Alamo Cafe Orch. for Gennett in 1925 but apparently rejected via Ethel Waters, COLUMBIA 487-D, 1926 via Jean Goldkette And His Famous Victor Record Orchestra with vocal chorus by "The Kentucky Boys", Victor 19947, 1926 via Fats Waller And His Rhythm, Electrola, June 1935.***Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider (I) (C) 1903) : from Red Nichols And His Five Pennies, Brunswick, 1927 via Glenn Miller and his orchestra, Bluebird, 1941 [originally by Eddie Cantor and his orchestra in 1903, a song dedicated to his wife Ida Tobias].***MARIE : from a waltz composed by Irving Berlin for an early sound movie called The Awakening in 1928 via the original vocal version by Tommy Dorsey A.H.O. feat. Jack Leonard on vocal in 1937.***Corrine, Corrina : from Big Joe Turner, US POP 41, 13th June 1941 & Joe Turner with Chorus and Orchestra, Atlantic, US R'N'B #23, 24th Feb. 1956 [originally by Bo Carter (alias Armenter Chatmon), November 1928.***Sweet Sue, Just You : from Sweet Sue by Fat Waller and his Rhythm, HMV (NY City), June 1935 [originally by Bennie Krueger And His Orchestra, 1928.***CHARMAINE : from the 1926 Raoul Walsh's movie "What Price Glory ?" (a part of the) soundtrack-signed Ernö Rapée-Lew Pollack- based on a piano solo composed by Johannes Brahms via Edmund Eysler "Der Lachende Ehemann", an exerpt of the operetta soundtrack-premiere at Wien Bürgertheater on 19/03/1913 (literally, the laughing married man-premiere in London as The Laughing Husband in 1913).***A.B.C. Rock : from Sally Starr aka Sally Belair, (Mrs. Jesse Rogers), Clymax CR-EP-1002, late 1958 or early 1959.***I Got A Woman : from Ray Charles' I' Ve Got A Woman, Atlantic 1050, December 1954, a rewording of a spiritual (P.D./unknown songwriter(s) called "Ain't that good news", 1940***It was also derived from the tune of a gospel song by Professor Alex Bradford's "Jesus is all the world to me", Specialty, 1954 and it is said Ray Charles was also influenced by Alex Brown or the Bailey Gospel Singers (COLUMBIA, 1951) "I've Got A Savior [(Across Town)].***(Now And Then) There's A Fool Such As I : from Hank Snow, The Singing Ranger and his Rainbow Ranch Boys, RCA Victor 47-5034, 15th/11/1952.***"Caldonia" : from Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five's "Caldonia (What Makes Your Big Head So Hard?), DECCA, January 1945.***"Ooh! Look-A There, Ain't She Pretty" : Looka-there, ain't she pretty from Clarence Williams and his Orchestra, Vocalion 2616-B, 1933, via Buddy Greco and his Three Sharps including Francis Beecher on/to the guitar, Musicraft 515, 1947.***(Thanks For The) Summer Souvenir : from Summer Souvenirs by Larry Clinton And His Orchestra feat. Bea Wain on vocal, US #3, 1938 via Bing Crosby, Decca, Oct. 1938.***Puerto Rican Peddler : from Puerto Rican Pedlar by Johnny Brandon With The Phantoms, Polygon, UK, 1955.***

10/07/2008

This "Alrededor Del Reloj" is in fact the Spanish title for the Bill Haley Scrapbook not to be confused with "Rock Alrededor Del Reloj" which is the Spanish title translation for Rock Around The Clock!***All these cover songs were issued in 1956.***First, here is the Queen of Mexican rock'n'roll: Gloria Rios (con el conjunto de Jorge Ortega) and "El Relojito" released by RCA Victor (75-9980). ***Now we go to Argentina to meet Hermanas Navarro con la Orquesta de Héctor "El Arabe" Hallal" and "Bailando El Rock" also released by RCA Victor (AVE-351).***Afterwords here is Italy including Il Quartetto Cetra (con accomp. di orchestra) and "L'Orologio Matto" [ad. Giovanni "Tata" Giacobetti] released by Cetra (EP CETRA 0579 - "Flash Sonori no1"); L'Orologio Matto (canta in Inglese Mirio Notari) by Gastone Parigi e il suo Quintetto Almaviva, Odeon TW 4372, 1956; Quartetto Radar (con accomp. di piano e ritmo) and RATC sung in English (inglese) released by Durium and also issued in Spain and released by HISPAVOX (HH 1723 - BAILE PARA 4) (EP) as "Cuarteto Radar" (con acomp. de piano y ritmo) and last but not least, holy shit!, Renato Carosone e il suo Quartetto "canta Piero Giorgetti in inglese" (US #1 with his song "Torero" less than two years later!!!)***Pathé QAT 6013, November 1956. [10" LP "Carosello Carosone No 4"], also released by US Capitol.

05/05/2008

All these acetate tracks were unissued at the time of their recordings: Rose of My Heart; Cherry Tree Lane: adapted by Bill Haley and based on the book "Mary Poppins In Cherry Tree Lane" published in 1934; Cute Little Brown-Eyed Girl; A Sweet Bunch of Roses; Yodel Your Blues Away; Candy and Women; Behind the Eight Ball; Ages and Ages Ago: from Gene Autry, CBS/COLUMBIA 20114 & 37322,1948; Honestly; I Dreamed of an Old Love Affair: from Jimmie Davis, Capitol, 1942; Whispering; I Love You So Much It Hurts: from Floyd Tillman (Ryan, deceased on 22/08/2003), CBS/COLUMBIA, 1948; Little Rock, Arkansas; A Bundle of Kisses; Are You Teasing Me?, first recorded by Carl Smith and The Tunesmiths, COLUMBIA, 1952, US Country Charts #1; I Want You; Gotta Have My Baby Back: from Floyd Tillman's I ('ve) gotta..., COLUMBIA, 1946, US Country Charts #6 and Jimmy Wakely, Capitol, 1948; Take Me in Your Arms: from Eddy Arnold's Take Me In Your Arms And Hold Me, RCA0150, 1949 [15/05/1918-8/05/2008]; Teardrops from My Eyes.***A few songs are already listed in another article.***The Down Homers (comprising Bill Haley on lead vocals) on January 27, 1946 at a WOWO [Fort Wayne, Indiana] radio show sung She Taught Me How To Yodel: from Elton Britt, RCA/Bluebird, 1941 [recorded in 1962 by British singer Frank Ifield with Norrie Paramor AHC, EMI/Columbia 45-DB 4913]).***The yodel is a kind of sung voice especially in Switzerland and Austria.***Proper records 4-CD box set notes: "Franny" Beecher (of Bill Haley's Comets) has confirmed that 'The Jumping Jaguars' was a side-project for him, and the lead singer on "Knock-Kneed Nellie From Knoxville" [btw, Hancock's "K-KN" is not a cover song] and "Shut The Door Baby" (Decca 9-29938, rel. 18/06/1956 [both splendid r'n'r songs!) would have actually been Billy Williamson. Both songs were recorded between "Rockin' Through The Rye" and "Calling All Comets" sessions (on April 24, 1956)."***In my opinion: The Jumping Jaguars' musicians were: Jack Hammer (lead vcls & drums on both sides; Francis "Franny" Beecher (gtr); Mame Watts (pno); chorus (probably Franny Beecher, Billy Williamson...), NO BASS [bass line played on piano]; tenor sax is still unknown.***Also issued by Decca/OMEGA 9.61.062, Belgium, 1956.***Tidbit time: Jack Hammer (aka Earl S. Burroughs recorded lotsa songs in Belgium for Ronnex Records i.a "Come Twist Around The Clock"!!!) owned and directed by Albert Van Hooghten (in Antwerp) alias "A. Vano".***His brother, René (aka Ray Maxwell), launched the Belgian and US Moonglow labels (5000 serie) and the US Palette (PZ) in the late 50s.***At the time of Van Hooghten decease, Ronnex was bought out by EMI Belgium.***Other Proper records notes about The Jumping Jaguars: ...Franny Beecher (lead gtr). Question: who played the rhythm gtr seeing theres no lead gtr without it !? (Billy Williamson?)...Of course, not.

20/08/2006

***The Cowboy Records label was founded in March 1945 by Jack Howard.***Keystone Records, another Philadelphia small label belonged to Ed Wilson.***Atlantic was created in 1948 in New York City by Herb Abramson and Ahmet Ertegun.***US original label shots by courtesy of Rocking Country Style Webmaster Terry Gordon, Atlanta, United States Of America - lotsa thanx, Terry.***Recorded for radio in 1947 and ca. 1950 and previously unreleased were Bill Haley's renditions of The Wreck On The Highway originally recorded by Dorsey Dixon [Feb., 1938] and / or The Dixon Brothers under the title (I) Didn't Hear Nobody Pray, 1938 and, Red River Valley from Montana Slim's Red River Valley Blues, RCA Victor/Bluebird B-8441, 1941; My Bucket's Got A Hole In It from Hank Williams and His Drifting Cowboys, MGM 10560, 1949, Cool Water from Hank Williams, radio transcription, 1949.***Too Many Parties And Too Many Pals (Ray Henderson/Billy RosS/Mort Dixon), Cowboy records, Aug. 1948 : later recorded by Hank Williams, Sr. as Luke The Drifter, MGM 10718, Jan. 10, 1950.***Candy Kisses (Cowboy records CR-1202, April 1949) from supposed George Morgan's original [Bill Haley could have already recorded it from a popular in 1945 when he was 20 - very strange! The first recording of this song was made by The Five Blind Boys of Alabama (leader Clarence Fountain) in 1948 and issued on Newark's label Coleman Records, New Jersey then by Rex Turner and The Westerners on Varsity V 8015 in 1948 as well], Columbia, March 1949, US Country charts #1 via Red Foley, Decca, 1949, US Country charts #4. b/w Tennessee Border from Red Foley, Decca, US Country charts #3, 1949 [originally by Jimmy Work and His Tennessee Border Boys, Alben 501, 1948].***The Covered Wagon Rolled Right Along was also recorded for radio in 1949 and borrowed to Spike Jones And His City Slickers, RCA Victor, 1942.***Ten Gallon Stetson - recorded in 1950 for Keystone 5101, March 1950 - was also borrowed but this time to Ray Whitley acc. by Santa Fe' Ranger Melvin Price, Cowboy recs CR- 302, November 1947.***Long Gone Daddy (GOTHAM G-7416, 1951) : from I'm A Long Gone Daddy by Hank Williams, 1948, Cash Box #6.***Tidbit time : May 21, 1951 : Williams is admitted to the North Louisiana Sanitarium suffering from acute alcoholism. Williams has regularly resorted to alcohol and narcotics to ease severe back pains which are now analyzed as a birth defect, spina bifida occulta.***December 31, 1952 : 17-year-old Charles Carr drives Williams' Cadillac from Montgomery, Alabama, as they set out out for a New Year's Eve gig at the Memorial Auditorium, Canton, Ohio. Highway patrolman SWANN KITTS books Carr for speeding near Rutledge, Tennessee, and suggests to the driver that his back seat passenger looks dead.***January 1, 1953 : at 5.30am Carr stops for directions in Oak Hill, West Virginia.***Outside a Pure Oil service station he realizes Williams' body feels cold and calls the police. Patrolman HOWARD JAMEY confirms the death.***An autopsy conducted at Oak Hill hospital gives cause of death as heart failure [due to a shot].***In fact, Williams GOT A SHOT (US) / HAD IT OFF (UK) / une "PIQUOUZE"...This last sentence : (C) S. KOENIG - 25th August 2006.